Out of Congress, but still in the power game

USA Todaytakes a look at 16 lawmakers who left Congress recently, including former Rep. Steve LaTourette, and have “landed posts with groups that seek to influence policy — despite rules aimed at slowing the revolving door between Capitol Hill and lobbying firms.”The story notes that former House members are barred from lobbying their former colleagues for a year; for former senators, it's two years. There are no restrictions, however, “on providing behind-the-scenes advice to corporations and others seeking to shape federal legislation,” USA Today says. Ex-lawmakers “can immediately lobby the executive branch and officials in state and local governments.”Mr. LaTourette “cannot register as a federal lobbyist nor talk to his former colleagues on Capitol Hill,” according to the newspaper. But the Republican heads a new Washington lobbying branch of Cleveland law firm McDonald Hopkins."My job is to fashion strategies and give advice," he quips. (Mr. LaTourette's wife, Jennifer, is a veteran lobbyist and serves as vice president of McDonald Hopkins Government Strategies.)USA Today says the lobbying operation, which launched in January, “already has nine clients — including the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and the Association of Public Television Stations, as public television girds for congressional budget battles over its funding.”Mr. LaTourette and 15 others of the 98 lawmakers who have retired or were ousted by voters since January 2011 hold lobbying-related jobs, according to the USA Today tally.

The Congress-to-K Street connection has been institutionalized," Sheila Krumholz of the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks lobbying and political money, tells the newspaper. "It's Plan A for former members of Congress."

All's well (Ohio hopes)

Reuters runs a somewhat mixed analysis of the prospects for the Utica shale formation in Ohio.The piece starts with a look at Gulfport Energy, a company that in spring 2012 had seen in shares fall 55% in four months, until the oil and gas producer announced it had drilled its first three wells in the Utica.“The Oklahoma-based company's value has since more than doubled, bolstered by a series of company production updates on those and a handful of other new wells located in what many believe to be the next frontier in America's oil and gas revolution,” Reuters reports. It says the share-price gain “represents perhaps the clearest example of how investors, giddy about an expected boom in Ohio's energy production, have been betting on companies based on some optimistic, but preliminary, production data.”But things get a little less rosy from there. From the story:But next month a more comprehensive state report will publish new data from Ohio's oil and gas wells that will offer the most insight yet about whether the Utica is the next big thing or a potentially fizzling bust for companies operating there.Energy producers in the Buckeye State have compared the Utica to the giant Eagle Ford shale play in Texas and declared it a boon for a state still weathering an economic downturn. However, enthusiasm has cooled somewhat since drilling began in 2011, after wells produced more cheap natural gas than the more lucrative oil.

On March 31, Reuters says, data from between 50 and 60 wells drilled in 2012 will be given to the state. It then will be made available on the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' website in April."It is a meaningful sample of wells that will go a long way toward giving investors a sense of whether the Utica is the next big thing," Morningstar analyst Mark Hanson, who covers companies operating in the state, tells Reuters.

Dream teams

It's too bad this year's Rock and Rock Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is being held in Los Angeles, because this lineup looks pretty great.The Rock Hall announced today that the event, at the Nokia Theatre on April 18, will feature appearances by Usher, who will perform for Quincy Jones; Pearl Jam's Mike McCready and Jerry Cantrell of Alice In Chains, who will perform with Heart; Spike Lee and Harry Belafonte, who will pay tribute to Public Enemy; Carole King, who will perform for Lou Adler; Chris Cornell, who will induct Heart; Cheech & Chong, who will present Mr. Adler with his award; and Jackson Browne and John Fogerty, who will perform with Randy Newman.As previously announced, John Mayer and Gary Clark Jr. will perform for Albert King, with Mr. Mayer giving the induction speech. Don Henley will induct Randy Newman. Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Hudson will perform in honor of Donna Summer. And Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins of the Foo Fighters will present Rush.HBO will televise the induction ceremony on Saturday, May 18.You also can follow me on Twitter for more news about business and Northeast Ohio.

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